Driving device for miniature golf balls



Dec. 10, 192,9, H, J, KLUTHQ 1,739,467

DRIVING DEVICE FOR MINIATURE GOLF BALLS Filed Nov. 17, 1928 gmmioz Henry Jill i110 Patented Dec. 10, 1929 UETED STATES HENRY J. KLUTHO, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA DRIVING DEVICE FOR MINIATURE GOLF BALLS Application filed November 17, 1928. Serial No. 320,186.

My invention relates to a golf club or driving device for a miniature golf ball, by the use of which golf may be played in-doors or in other limited areas. The present invention is an improvement over that shown in my previous application #254,740, filed F ebruary 16, 1928.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a device of this character of simpliw tied construction, wherein a different type of spring mechanism is employed, all as will be hereinafter more particularly specified and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a parthereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating one application of my invention,

Figure 2, a front elevation of the same,

Figure 3, an enlarged side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, and V Figure 4, a front elevation of a slightly modified form of my device.

In the present invention I employ a. handle 10 which as in my previous invention corresponds to the handle of an ordinary golf club, the same being detachably connected to a frame 11 which carries the driving head 12. The frame consists of a flat bar which has its upper end attached by means of a bolt I 13 to a handle 10 and is held in spaced relation from such handle by a collar or spacing element 14. The lower end of the flat bar is connected by means of an eye-bolt 15 with the lower extremity of the handle 10, said eye-bolt also serving to maintain the handle and frame in spaced relation. The frame 11 is provided with a pair of diverging supporting legs 16 which serve as a rest for the device when it is used. On the flat bar of the frame 11 adjacent its intermediate portion is disposed the upper end of an oscillating driving head carrying bar 17 mounted upon a pivot 18 held spaced from the bar 11 by means of a collar or sleeve 19. The pivot 18 may be in the form of a bolt which serves for fastening the parts in fixed relation. A spring 20 is coiled about the sleeve 19, said spring having one end 21 bent at right angles and disposed in a recess in the bar 11 and the other end of the spring being similarly bent and located in a recess in the swinging arm 17 whereby when the arm 17 is swung out of a certain position the spring will be twisted or subjected to a torsional strain and when released it will return to its normal position.

In order to provide means for operating the bar 17 a projecting arm 22 is provided at one side, to which is connected an operating cable 28 which extends up along the golf club and terminates in a handle or manipulating element 24. A stop 25 is secured to the bar 11 and projects into the path of movement of the oscillating bar 17 and limits the lateral swinging movement of said bar 17 in one direction. On the lower end of the bar 17 is secured a bifurcated member 26, said bifurcated member being held in position by means of a bolt 26.

In the bifurcation in the member 26 is clamped a driving head 27 provided at each extremity with a golf club, said head being held in position by means of a set screw 28 which may be removed and a head 27 reversed for selective use of the respective golf clubs. In order to secure the driving member firmly to the swinging arm 17 so that it will swing therewith the lower extremity of the member 17 is turned outwardly at right angles and such outwardly turned portion is provided with a slot 17 in which the driving head or club rests. If desired, instead of the driving head27 a single driving head may be employed, the same being secured in vertically and laterally adjusted positions by means of the set screw 28.

Instead of the spring 21 which is dependent upon a torsional strain for its operativeness 'a spring 29 as shown in Fig. 4 may be used,

one end of which is secured in the bar 17 and the other end being secured in the upturned extremity of a bracket 30 secured in transverse position on the bar 11 or formed integrally therewith. With this construction the spring is subjected merely to a tensional distortion and the construction is therefore simpler.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I, therefore, do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A device for playing indoor golf com prising a support, a bar having its upper end pivoted on the support, a spring coiled about the pivot for the bar and having one and connected to the bar and the other end connected to the support, a club secured to he lower end of the bar the said club having a driving head on each end and being adapted for reversing to use either of the heads, and

manually operable means for tensioning the said spring to swing the club to drive a golf ball in a manner simulating the action of a golf club, substantially as set forth.

2. A device forplaying indoor golf comprising a support, abar having its upper end pivoted onthe support, a spring coiled about "he pivot for the bar and having one end con- "nected to the bar and the other end connected to the support, a clubsecured to the lower end of the bar the said club having a driving head on each en'd and being adapted for reversing to use either of the heads, the said club being rigidly fixed ina bifurcated memher by means of a set screw, and manually operable means for tensioning the said spring to swing the club to drive a golf ball in a manner simulating the action of a golf club,

substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Jacksonville, Florida, this 15th day of November, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-eight.

HENRY J. KLUTHO. 

